The most important thing to remember when consuming elderberry is that it’s very dangerous to eat it raw. Raw elderberries, as well as elderberry bark and elderberry leaves, are poisonous. This is because certain parts of the raw plant contain lectins (which can irritate the stomach) and cyanide (which can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, and other issues).
Luckily, cooking the berries removes these risks. Commercially prepared elderberry foods and supplements will also be safe to consume if they’re made by a reputable brand, manufacturer, or restaurant.
If you are on certain medications, talk to a healthcare professional before adding elderberry to your wellness regimen. Elderberry and high blood pressure meds, chemotherapy, or diabetes might not mix. Elderberries may have certain effects on the body (like lowering blood pressure or changing how your system secretes insulin) that could interact with these conditions and treatments (20).